"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. And henceforth you know Him and have seen Him." Philip is saying to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficing us." Jesus is saying to him, "So much time I am with you, and you do not know Me, Philip! He who has seen Me has seen the Father, and how are you saying, 'Show us the Father'?
John 14: 7-9, Concordant New Testament
It is a question many a Christian child has asked their parents or Sunday school teachers for hundreds of years. What does God look like? Growing up, I asked that very same question of my mother. Her response was to point to a artist's rendition of God in my illustrated children's bible. I have a feeling that this is the typical response which parents give when asked this question. The disciple Thomas wanted to know what God looked like as well, so he went cut out the middle man, went directly to the source and asked Jesus to show him the Father. You'd think that Jesus would give a brief description of His Father to young Philip? Nope. Instead, Jesus proclaimed, 'You want to see the Father, Philip? Here I am.' You can imagine the surprise of his young apostle when Jesus let him know who He truly was. Of course, comparing Himself to God was the main reason the religious authorities of His day set out to kill Jesus. God was holy, and Jesus was this...sinful man. But Jesus wasn't lying when He revealed Himself to Philip. Nor is He lying when the Father reveals our true identity to us. So, what does God look like? He looks like me. He looks like you. He is, in fact, a God of many faces. How can this be? Consider the teachings of the apostle Paul, who himself inquired of Jesus who He was {Acts 9:5}. It is through the writings of Paul that we are introduced to our own reality of Christ Jesus in us {Galatians 2:20, Col 1:27}. Now, Paul himself wasn't with the original apostles when Jesus revealed Himself to Philip. At that time the man Saul was too busy persecuting the early church. However, in the years following his Damascus road experience, Paul came to understand not only who he truly was, but the image of the Father in him as well. After all, as Jesus told Philip, 'He who has seen Me has seen the Father.'
With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ. Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, who loves me, and gives Himself up for me.
Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament
A few years ago, there was a faith based film released titled Heaven is for real. In the movie, young Colton Burpo claims that he had seen heaven during his recent hospital ER visit. As the film progresses, young Colton describes the man who he came to know as Jesus. Of course, this image was an artist's rendition, and it followed many of the traditional images believers have come to associate with Jesus. Interestingly enough, scripture does not mention all that many passages about the appearance of Jesus. We read about His clothing, but not His physical features. Can we then assume that Jesus the man was not remarkable in physical appearance? That He was...normal? I would definitely agree with that. So, barring all but artist's renditions of the appearance of Jesus, this is all which we are presented with. So, what would your response be to someone if they were to ask you what God looks like? Would you refer them to one of the drawings Christians have used for generations to show the image of Lord? The kindly, smiling elderly man? Remember the words of Jesus, 'He who has seen Me has seen the Father.' How is it that we see Jesus? If we take the words of Paul to heart, we see Jesus when we look upon others. We see Jesus when we look in the mirror. If Christ is indeed in us, then this is our one true image. Therefore, the image of the Lord is...me. When I see Jesus, I see the Father as well. He is indeed, a God of many faces.
Beloved, now are we children of God, and it was not as yet manifested what we shall be. We are aware that, if He should be manifested, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him according as He is.
1 John 3: 2, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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